Chapter 57: Back In His Arms

The soldiers were setting their guard on as they march on with their horses galloping on the lake. Some men did walk on their feet as they opened up a way for the horses to cross over. After all, the lake was filled with roots and baits. The vast little branches with their leave were distributed to the side.

It was in the after midday that they decided to start on with their journey passing the borderline and entering the land. Theon was in the leading position as he was provided with a horse too. Luca and the chief, Berth, was along his side.

Even horses had their metal helmets on that Theon can not stop but kept on staring on. He was amazed at how these people from outside evolved through the years. While they only had limited knowledge of such thing and was focused on their training.

"Mesmerised, aren't you? Have you not seen such an armoured animal before? Now it makes me think what kind of life you were living in the past years." Luca sought through his attention.

Nowadays, this man seemed to be trying to get on his expectation. Well, not that it bothers him. After all, he saved his beloved family and treated their sister, Mikka. Or is it because he loves his sister that he is trying to live up for it?

"I would say a life full of apprehension. Does it ever make you wonder if you live inside a land wherein witches are rich and living?" He asked Luca with a straight face while Luca was listening. "Indeed, I have never seen an armoured horse. But, I did encounter a goddess and immortal beings, that all of you thought was a mere tale." He tried to retort on Luca's early mockery on him.

Luca's face explains it all. He must have not expected him to have such an unwelcome response. I was too stunned to speak.

"Uh... Huh. Well, good for you, then?" He was a bit sceptical, Theon assumed. "No, my bad. Pardon my words."

The chief was actually listening to them and he had a good laugh. "What are ya' getting all tense up for, Luca? Haven't you had someone played on ya' before? Now you know how it feels like to be mocked at." He exclaimed.

Theon laughed along and shook his head.

"Hold on, it's not like I was mocking anyone or whomever. I was just asking him, alright? What mockery are you fussing about..." Luca tried to plead himself not guilty of their entertainment.

Later on, Rubin galloped his horse beside Theon's, or to be precise on his right side of the way.

"You see, Theon. He's been like this since the love of his life has a brother who has such a handsome face than him. Makes him anxious that Mikka might have high standards when it comes to men, knowing she has already you for a brother. Ain't that right, chief?" Rubin even called out for support.

The berth can not stop laughing as he nods to him. The soldiers even giggled.

"Love of my life?!" Luca asked in surprise. Looking so red and flustered like a lady.

Theon just shook his head multiple times. "Oh, well, I respect everyone's perspective to love. I believe that any of sort can choose someone as long as it is mutual to both." He shared his thoughts. He then realized that he sounded just like Mikka right there and that made him smile even wider. He is truly influenced by good people.

"Tsk, tsk, what luck you have, Luca. Thank the Gods that this man right here," Rubin referred to Theon. "Exists for your own good. A kind and handsome man, nothing like you are, Luca. You should work on that first if you want to impress people like them."

Luca just had enough of Rubin's behaviour that he sighed. Theon was just silent, he was still too focused on his thoughts. While the audience, chief, and the soldiers were enjoying everything that was happening with them.

As they crossed the borderline, they reached to the land and even halted.

"Well, shall we?" Rubin was one to encourage them.

Theon's head was filled with memories of when Ambroz accompanied him to the borderline. Actually, it took them a day to walk across this fogged forest. He remembered once the rain poured down. They found a tree, so huge that they were given shadows and temporary shelter. He slept in Ambroz's arms as the man lent him his shoulders. He was curious that day, where they were heading and what was taking them so long.

Turns out, Ambroz really did care for him. He know that he was not going to accept the offer to head over to the borderline alone.

"It's like walking at dawn in here. The sun is still up and shining." One soldier said at the back.

"It's fogged, what do you think?" Rubin replied. He galloped his horse close to Theon. "I was wondering, how were you able to help that man? He's cursed, right? It makes me think you're some sort of wizard now. I don't believe in such things before until now that you have existed to prove to us this."

Theon cleared his throat. "Just, light touching..." He whispered.

"Pardon?"

He gulped hard this time. He thought that no one would dare to ask for further details, but he was wrong. "He has heat to endure. He needs warmth from a pure human being and if it has not calmed down till then he might burst into that form." He explained.

"Ah! So you hugged him? How come in the past no one has ever realized that a hug can ease that raging one? Does that mean anyone has the strength to do that? Are you listening, Luca?" Rubin leaned back to look and ask Luca.

Luca was still frowning. "Don't ask me, Rubin."

Meanwhile, Theon had to press his eyes close in embarrassment. It was not just hugging though. Can I even say these things to them?'

"Well?" Rubin awaits.

Theon opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm not certain but I don't think anybody can work with calming his heat. If so, then his suffering might have ended quite earlier." He concluded. He was also thinking whether why he was the only one who could subside such heat. It was risky but maybe the thought of helping the man filled his head. Now he's confused.

"That is a possibility. I just can not help but ask, living inside a cave. Is it not cold there?" Rubin then continued with another question.

Luca's patience snapped. "Stop asking him irrelevant things, will you? The man's pressured now. Press that mouth of yours to close for once!" He exclaimed and scowled.

"Coming from you, Luca," Rubin whispered.

"What did you say?" Luca asked him.

"Nothing, I said that you were handsome." Rubin smiled pretentiously.

Theon just shook his head and giggled. Rubin silently gasped.

Then one of the soldiers shouted. "Sir Theon, it seems Rubin put quite a liking to you!" It was loud that almost all of the soldiers heard.

Theon turned his gaze to the back and the soldiers started cackling up when they saw how Rubin was so flustered. Even Theon was curious why he was too defensive.

"Now, now, keep your silence. Don't forget where all of you are right now. This is an area of feudal. Anything can happen, lads. Beware." The chief then exclaimed that silencing the crowd. Rubin made a funny face at the soldiers for making him a laughing stock.

They continued to walk with their horses as the animals in the surroundings were watching them pass by. All of them were engulfed with silence but not a solemn one. They were covered in apprehension as they wait for what might come their way.

Theon was leading the way, these soldiers trusted him. Although, he has not been here for a long time and his sense of direction is vague. He can never forget about that day. As they march on forth, Theon saw a familiar certainty and that made them halt their horses. It was the chief's command as he raised his hand.

Theon, alone, guided his horse towards it and his heart thumped seeing that he was right. He climbed down his horse and squatted to see it closer.

"This was the tree we encountered and stayed in as the rain rushed through the ground. Even the huge seed of the mango is still here." He mumbled. "Then, the way must be..." He glanced in some direction.

"Theo, is there something wrong?" Luca unhurriedly galloped his horse beside Theon's.

"Nothing, in particular, to worry about, but this tree is familiar. If my memory serves me right, then after we walk a few jiffies, we should be on a stiff land of the mountain. Where we could see the river below and the many trees." He conveyed his thoughts to Luca.

Luca nodded, "Where are we heading, anyway?"

Theon looked at him and stood up to climb his own horse. "We can not attack first-hand, we should head to Ambroz's cave and he must be there. We need him to control the form himself and we could change the flow of the fate." He said and his brows met.

"Are you sure?"

"It's all about luck in this. But, I'm confident." He replied and raised the corners of his lips.

And so, Luca told the chief about it and they continued to enter furthermore. Theon was right, because after walking through the wilderness. They saw clear sunlight and it led them to the stiff land. There, they saw how high they climbed with their horses. It was truly stiff that they had to be careful.

"I have never thought to see such a view. This is not the direction we took, didn't we, Luca?" Rubin, amazed, asked Luca.

"Right, it was the other way around. Which I suppose is where the village of yours, Theon, locates. Still, this is making me realize and comprehend how vast this land here that even hundreds of our town can be built-in." Luca shook his head in disbelief.

"You can't do that though. Well, unless you are ready to face a goddess's wrath, you can." Theon shrugged his shoulders.

Rubin got curious again. "Truly? What does that goddess look like? Does her body float in the air? Spiritual, I suppose? Are her visuals immaculate? Tell me, Theon, what does she look like?" He asked several questions in one passage of his breath.

Luca sighed. Theon turned his gaze to him. "No, she looked more like a giant with green skin. Just like a human's body, but she had different coloured pupils and her hair was tangled with huge tree roots. She was like nature upon us. Yet, fierce and composed." Theon went through his subconscious and recollected the one incident that he had that led her to Aranyani. "Her name's Aranyani." He added.

"Hmm, what a beautiful name. I wish to see her someday..." He smirked and looked below the forest.

Luca groaned. "You should just shut your mouth, Theo, or else this monkey would never stop howling around."

"Monkey? Howling around? Really, now? And why are you calling him Theon, anyway? You created nicknames now for your sake? Well, just so you know Theon, his real name's Lucas. Call him that, it's his ugly name." Rubin retorted and poked fun at Luca.

"You both should be quiet." Then exclaimed which made them all widen their eyes in surprise.

But it went on just like that, the never-ending blabber kept its structure until the moon raised and appeared on the horizon. The sunset was a heck of a view. Theon just watched it as he rode his horse on.

Not for a long while, they were able to climb off the mountain and followed the river streams. Some even went off the river and with their hands, feeling the water and its fresh tinge according to Theon, himself.

"We're close," Theon exclaimed and everyone had to follow where he was going.

It was night and the only thing that served them as the light was the moon and some brought along little torches with them. Theon led them to the cave as the place he recognised had come to his senses. Inside his palpitating heart, was anticipation. He is concerned about how Ambroz might react when he discovers that they're here, or not...

"Ambroz?" He called out to his name even though the man was yet to be found. He went and climbed off his horse, walked towards the cave and peeked at it.

The soldiers also followed. They held their horses' rope and waited for Theon's accord.

Luca, Rubin, and Berthe their chief went along with Theon's back. Turns out, no one was staying in that cave any more. Theon found out that even Ambroz's things were gone.

There his worry started to pile up on his back as the heavyweight weigh on his head. Thinking where might Ambroz be? Was he taken by the witch already? There was no dragon roars or any sort of clamour noises heard of when he was back in the town.

"No, this doesn't make any sense." His eyes filled with terror as he massage his head in frustration. He was scared more than that.

"What is?" Luca asked.

"He... Isn't here. Even his things aren't here. How could we not hear any of his trembles? If he was taken by them then what shall we do? Attack them just like that? What if he is dead already?" He started panicking.

Rubin then placed his hand on Theon's shoulder and he was taken aback. "He must have just gone somewhere. Or he might have refused to go back here because you know, he could be anywhere too but here. You need to calm down first and think." Rubin advised.

"He's right, think about the places you once went with him—" Luca was interrupted when the heard an arrow noise that hit somewhere. A metal perhaps.

"Woah! That was close." A soldier was alarmed.

Theon followed that noise and saw the soldier standing close to a tree and the arrow was now on the ground. He run over to it and picked up the arrow. As soon as he touched it. He knew who might the hunter be.

He raised his head and followed his instincts. He walked closer to the dark area and narrowed his eyes. And there his vermillion eyes were uncovered, shining through the darkness, and shimmered through the night. Like a fearful beast of some sort, it taunted everyone else but Theon stood there. His heart started to ease and he calmed down. His lips parted as he waited for him to climb off the tree.

And he did. Slowly, he went out of the light and faced them. His eyes were focused on Ambroz and Ambroz was too. Ambroz held his face and they both were engulfed in silence as the moment came to pass by.

"You," Ambroz started with his deep voice. "You have returned. And... Who are these soldiers with you?" He whispered asking him.

"They are the people that I met inside a town. They are soldiers who saved my people and we have become to face this feud with you." Theon answered back and held Ambroz's face now.

Theon stared at Ambroz and he reckoned that Ambroz was having mixed feelings about this.

"How? Why? After all, I said to you? You chose this?" Ambroz asked with brows curved upwards.

Theon grabbed Ambroz's hand and intertwined it with his. "You see, we are done being a coward and decided to end this with victory. If you really wanted to die in peace, then there is still another way to put it, Ambroz. We can still change the course of this fate." He muttered and looked at Ambroz with his eyes full of hope. "If you did hate me, you would not have accompanied me to the escape route but instead left me to die."

Ambrox shook his head. "You can't win against them. They are too powerful with their weapons and with that witch's evil spells." He said.

Theon sighed and lowered his head. Then he recognised the necklace Ambroz was wearing. "You, so you were the one who took it from me. This necklace!"

Ambroz was flustered then. "I... Uh... I did. I thought that if I let go of you then I might as well take this with me." He explained.

"Ambroz, we can take control of this curse of yours. Remember once when you turned into a dragon and I had only touched and you were able to turn back to human? I say we wait for that witch's spell to activate and then I would be here to ease your raging head and might as well take over of this form. I don't know the purpose of this necklace but I imagined that it will help us with this. And I have gathered all of these soldiers for us to face this once and for all. Their weapons can be blocked." He gripped both of Ambroz's hands.

Ambroz processed all of his words and shoved his face on Theon's chest. "Why would you ever do this for me? To such a pathetic man?" He whispered.

Theon smiled. "You are not pathetic. And you are not alone in this battle anymore. We will face this and fix it in the future. Shall we?" He asked Ambroz and raised its head to face his.

Ambroz just nodded multiple times.

"Ehem! Sorry to break into your lovely moment, but care if we introduce ourselves here?" Rubin interrupted and Luca as well as the chief was behind him.

Ambroz plastered on a serious face this time. When he faced the three. Luca gasped. "I can not believe it, it really is him but with a different style of hair." He said.

"Huh?" Ambroz was confused.

"Well you see, we thought you were a legend. Turns out you were in fact real and the old stories were all true. After generations and generations, we are here to help our ancestors." Luca explained and even bowed to him.

"Ancestor?"

"Yes, we were the outcome of your people's escape. If the story lives. When you were still in your present time, you did not kill everybody. Your people back then escaped and found a kand which is where we live now." Luca revealed.

Theon smiled. "That's right, Ambroz. You did not kill all of them. Your curse did burst but a lot of people were safe."

Ambroz widened his eyes and he was taken aback. "A... All this time? I... I.. Didn't kill all of them? Arg—" he suddenly held his chest and collapsed to the ground.

Theon was worried. "Are you alright?"

It took Ambroz seconds but, "It's here. She saw us. She is striking..." He exclaimed with an airy voice.

Everyone met each other's eyes.

"Step back!" Ambroz's exclaimed and this time it was horrid, thick, and baritone. His canine teeth started to grow larger, horns and scales appeared on his face, and his hands slowly turned into claws.

The soldiers took steps back and so did Theon.

Ambroz busted as his size cornered the anatomy of a human. He was blasted off and turned into the beast that was inside him.

He roared to the surface and the people just looked at him without moving an inch. But, Theon was brave. As he always been. He saw this once and he is no longer afraid of it. The necklace snapped apart through the transformation and Theon had to tie it on his neck.

He went and touched its stomach. The dragon lowered his head and their eyes met.

"Ambroz, it's me." He whispered as he stick his forehead to its smoky nose.

The dragon's eyes dilated and Theon knew he was able to control it. He gazes at his back and faces the soldiers.

"Chief, let's defeat the evil."

———————

ABYSSCESS